1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a unit for collecting developed films, which is used in correspondence with the terminal part of a film developing machine, particularly one of an industrial kind.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As it is known, the film developing machine utilized in the industrial field for developing laboratories and the like are substantially constituted by a series of separated treatment tanks, containing the various conventional chemical substances which are required for developing films, as well as by transport means such as suitable conveying pinions and entrainment rollers, etc., in order to effect the subsequent passage of these films through all the tanks and a following drying zone, until the so developed and dried films arrive in correspondence with a collecting unit, from which they may be drawn.
In order to pass the films through the developing machine, they are previously attached onto respective leaders by means of a tape or adequate adhesive substances, wherein each leader is constituted by a thin flexible sheet made of a conventional plastic. The leaders are provided with a series of holes, which are reciprocally aligned and equally spaced for permitting the conveying pinions to be engaged therein and therefore permitting each leader and the films to be entrained through the machine, wherein the films are also entrained by the above described entrainment rollers.
In turn, the unit for collecting developed films is disposed in correspondence with the terminal part of the developing machine and generally is shaped in such a manner as to permit a series of leaders together with the respective films to be stored automatically therein.
There is a known collecting unit comprising a series of rollers which are reciprocally opposite and adjacent and shaped for determining the entrainment of each leader by means of the engagement of the same rollers with corresponding holes, which are provided in a central position of the leader, as well as for effecting the frictional entrainment of the films which are connected to such a leader.
In addition, the collecting unit referred to is provided with at least a guide baffle constituted by a portion of a sheet, which is inclined upwardly and disposed within the sliding path of each leader together with the respective films, in a manner such that as soon as the leaders arrive in correspondence with the sheet, they are deflected in the same upwardly inclined direction, thus accumulation within a box able to store a definite number of leaders.
To this aim, the box referred to is provided in its inner side with a protruded tongue, which is inclined upwardly and situated at a level higher than that of the baffle and which is also provided in a position corresponding to that of the holes of the leader.
In this manner, as soon as the leader arrives in front of the tongue, the latter engages itself with a corresponding hole of the leader and consequently this leader is hooked in position without the possibility of being shifted therefrom.
In turn, the continuous rotation of the rollers determines a steady advancement of the films in the same direction of the leader. However, due to the fact that the films are more flexible than the leader and are not guided by the baffle, these films are folded downwardly and progressively stored in a vertical direction within a proper container, which is placed in a position below the box.
Likewise, each subsequent leader is hooked to the tongue and stacked over the previous leaders which are always hooked in position, while the corresponding films of such a leader are all introduced within the container, in the same manner which has been previously described.
Then, the whole series of leaders, together with the films connected to the same, is detached from the tongue and extracted from the box. Once emptied, the box is again applied onto the developing machine and is ready for permitting other leaders to be stored therein.